The recently launched professional English exam, International Certificate in Financial English (ICFE) has been enthusiastically received by countries with developing economies, keen to encourage growth through international trade.
At the ICFE launch at Beijing International Hotel earlier this year, Gill Ball, President of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), said the exam would serve as a powerful tool for helping Chinese accountants play a greater role in international markets. She said the convergence of Chinese accounting with international standards would boost investors’ confidence in China’s capital market and financial statements, bringing about more domestic and foreign investment.
Mickey Bonin, Regional Manager (East Asia & Australasia) for Cambridge ESOL, said ICFE was another example of the commitment of Cambridge ESOL to creating tailored assessment for different business and professional environments: ‘Cambridge ICFE will help the ambitious to demonstrate their skills and suitability for a successful career in international finance.’ Interest in ICFE in central and eastern Europe is often linked with the presence of major international accounting companies within those countries. A recent endorsement for ICFE has come from KPMG’s office in the Czech Republic. Katerina Duchacova, Training Manager said: ‘At a time when benchmarks such as International Accounting Standards (IAS) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are being implemented globally, ICFE provides an exciting new opportunity for professionals in the accounting and auditing fields to increase their competency in financial English. At the same time they are able to enhance their portfolio of professional, internationally recognised qualifications.
‘As part of our mission to provide high quality professional training to all of our employees, we intend to integrate the ICFE qualification into our inhouse professional development programme, ensuring that our accountants and auditors develop and maintain their ability to communicate effectively in English with other financial professionals around the world.’